Toddler Food Guidelines (cont.)
In this Article
- What should my toddler be eating?
- How do I ensure that my toddler is getting enough vitamins and minerals?
- How do I get my toddler to eat in general and eat vegetables in particular?
- Is there a limit to how much seafood my toddler can eat each week?
- Is there a limit to how much juice, milk or salt my toddler should consume each day?
- How do I deal with my toddler's temper tantrums at mealtimes?
- Should I be feeding my toddler low-fat foods to avoid childhood obesity?
- Should I be concerned that my toddler eats hair, sand, and dirt?
- How do I incorporate breastfeeding into my toddler's feeding schedule?
- I think my child may have a food allergy. What should I do?
- How can I instill healthy eating habits in my child?
- Where can I find healthy recipes for my toddler?
- Toddler Food Guidelines At A Glance
How do I incorporate breastfeeding into my toddler's feeding schedule?
General guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics include:
- 0-6 months of age: breast milk alone with an added source of vitamin D (unless >17oz/day formula)
- 6-9 months of age: sequential addition of cereals, vegetables, meats, and fruit
- 9-12 months of age: introduction of finger
foods -- avoid egg white, wheat, honey, peanut butter, choking-hazard foods (for example, raisins, popcorn, etc.) - >12 months of age: continued transition to table foods. Children will commonly prefer finger feeding in lieu of utensils until past 18 months of age. May wean from breast to whole milk -- maximum 15-24oz/day. Introduce sipper cup if not done already.
- > 2 years of age: table foods using utensils. Can reduce to nonfat or low-fat milk.
I think my child may have a food allergy. What should I do?
Food allergies generally represent an immunologic response to a protein found in the suspect food. Symptoms may range from severe (anaphylaxis, asthma, swelling of the vocal cords, abdominal pain, and vomiting) to moderate (hives, tingling of the lips/mouth, eczema) to mild (nasal congestion, sneezing, mild skin rash). Children are most likely to be sensitive to egg whites, milk, and peanuts. Older children and adults are most likely to be sensitive to fish and shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts (for example,. walnuts), and egg whites. Evaluation for food protein allergy may be done either via a blood test (commonly identified as a RAST test) or by an allergist performing "scratch" testing. Children with abdominal pain and/or diarrhea or vomiting after eating wheat, barley, or rye foods may have gluten sensitivity and should be evaluated by their doctor for celiac disease.
http://www.medicinenet.com/toddler_food_guidelines/article.htm
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